What is the policy regarding guns on the rally site?

SIBUD said:

Where you can't carry a gun
Even with a carry permit, there are lots of places where a gun is off-limits, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious (some laws apply only to Tennessee):

Airports
Most court facilities
Federal parks
Public facilities, including city parks and greenways.
School grounds, including public schools, private schools, and colleges. There's an exception when dropping off students, as long as the gun stays in the car and isn't handled.
Any private property where a notice is posted. In Knoxville, that includes all of West Town Mall.
Anywhere alcohol is served. In addition, you can't carry while you're drinking. In Tennessee, there's no threshold or blood alcohol level. No drinking whatsoever is allowed while carrying.

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There is a tavern in Wisconsin that SELLS guns and ammunition.
(Leland, Wisconsin - Sprecher Tap)

I guess I am wondering how you would enforce such a policy?

Common sense should prevail here. I too like Firearms, pistols and such, but I would NEVER consider bringing one to a public event. Just because you have a permit to carry, doesn't mean you need to ALL THE TIME. The fact that you have mentioned here that you want to bring a Firearm, sets you up for theft, should someone figure out who you are.

Seriously, please leave the Firearm at home, and if you want to talk guns, hell I'm there, but to actually bring one...for what purpose exactly?

The short answer, consult the local gun ordinances in Washington County, TN, site of
the Rally. I tried calling the site office but they must be off for the holiday.

Will call them on Monday to get their response.

Why does it matter so much?

crazydrummerdude said:

Why does it matter so much?

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If the question is directed at me, the answer is that I like to be aware of my surroundings.

Why does anyone feel the need to have a weapon at the Rally? Is there any history of violence? Is the site in Grey more dangerous than previous sites?

If it's this dangerious I think I'll just go to a Harley rally!!

I would like to make sure that no one is allowed to have a knife on the site.

Also no items that have the capability of holding explosive liquids or gasses.

Oh, and no more conch shells, dammit.

Would the board please specify these requirements for entrance to the rally site to please me.

Thank-you for your attention.

SIBUD said:

I respectfully disagree. This is a private event and the organization can choose to not allow weapons on the grounds. Just like they are not allowed in other places in states with carry permits.

It is not an unrestricted right.

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I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement.

Courtesy of the most recent ruling from the US Supreme Court, one's right to bear arms can only be restricted by a federal, state or local (ordinance) statute.

This commonly does occur where court houses, taverns, aircraft, schools and public institutions come into play (or a felony conviction), but still requires a legal foundation (statute) to support the restriction.

The MOA may prefer that no one possess a firearm at a rally, but they simply cannot sidestep the Constituion to accomplish that goal. If Johnson City (TN) legally prohibits firearms on the fairgrounds, the MOA is welcome to 'ride their coat tails' and post such a restriction as a rally addendum.

Personally, I don't relish the guy in the tent three bikes down from me stumbling back from the Beer Tent to cuddle up with a .357 magnum under his pillow.

But it's like the STOP Signs posted all over the Wal-Mart parking lot. You can 'blow right thru them' without any fear of being cited, since they have no statutory authority (at least not in WI) - they exist only as a courtesy for pedestrian/customer traffic.

Without due process, you have no legal restriction.

If law enforcement are present and carrying guns, even with kids running around, no one really thinks about it, and no one objects. If all those carrying guns were as responsible with them as we expect our law enforcement folks to be, there would be no problem. Most gun owners that I know are that responsible (many are law enforcement).

Unfortunately, there are a minority of gun owners who are less responsible to varying degrees, and a miniscule minority who have them for nefarious reasons. They are the ones who get the press when they do something stupid or criminal, and they represent what most non-gun owners think of when they picture gun owners.

Unless you are hoping for the BMWMOA to say "No guns, no knives, no staws with spit wads!", it is foolish to even ask the question in today's social and political climate. If forced to state a policy, they would most likely set a no-weapons policy for fear of litigation, if not for the unreasonable fear that there will be a remake of the gunfight at the OK Corral.

I know that I am one of the responsible gun-owners, carrying in a safe manner when I do carry, and keeping it inaccessible to kids and other adults. If I were considering bringing a weapon for protection while travelling, I would make my decision on that criteria and on the state carry laws, and not upon the idea that I needed to get someone else's permission.

What happens when the organization denies permission is that the very people who you would consider that you may need to protect yourself from, either at the rally or while travelling to or from, will have ignored any such prohibition. If worse comes to worst, you may find yourself in a gunfight not having brought a knife (those are prohibited too), but with a 10mm box end wrench. Good luck, Hoss, you got one shot.


Answering SIBUD's last question of whether there is a perceived need to be armed for fear of violence at the rally. I haven't been to one of the BMW rallies. I expect it's a bit more civil than many of the Harley rallies. That being the case, I woudln't feel the need for any hardware. Most often, I like to have it when travelling. It's a big country and there's some rough spots between home and many destinations.

E_Page said:

If law enforcement are present and carrying guns, even with kids running around, no one really thinks about it, and no one objects. If all those carrying guns were as responsible with them as we expect our law enforcement folks to be, there would be no problem. Most gun owners that I know are that responsible (many are law enforcement).

Unfortunately, there are a minority of gun owners who are less responsible to varying degrees, and a miniscule minority who have them for nefarious reasons. They are the ones who get the press when they do something stupid or criminal, and they represent what most non-gun owners think of when they picture gun owners.

Unless you are hoping for the BMWMOA to say "No guns, no knives, no staws with spit wads!", it is foolish to even ask the question in today's social and political climate. If forced to state a policy, they would most likely set a no-weapons policy for fear of litigation, if not for the unreasonable fear that there will be a remake of the gunfight at the OK Corral.

I know that I am one of the responsible gun-owners, carrying in a safe manner when I do carry, and keeping it inaccessible to kids and other adults. If I were considering bringing a weapon for protection while travelling, I would make my decision on that criteria and on the state carry laws, and not upon the idea that I needed to get someone else's permission.

What happens when the organization denies permission is that the very people who you would consider that you may need to protect yourself from, either at the rally or while travelling to or from, will have ignored any such prohibition. If worse comes to worst, you may find yourself in a gunfight not having brought a knife (those are prohibited too), but with a 10mm box end wrench. Good luck, Hoss, you got one shot.

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I asked an honest question with no agenda. Only asking for information.

To then equate sidearms with knives and straws spit wads seems to be a red herring.

Are you saying that we can no longer ask a question because of today's social and political climate? Or are you saying that because of today's social and political climate we should just expect people to be armed where ever we go?

I don't expect to have to protect myself from anyone traveling to or from a rally. Do you? I pretty much travel around the US with no fear of my life or safety. But there seem to be some that feel insecure where ever they go.

Greenwald said:

I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement.

Courtesy of the most recent ruling from the US Supreme Court, one's right to bear arms can only be restricted by a federal, state or local (ordinance) statute.

This commonly does occur where court houses, taverns, aircraft, schools and public institutions come into play (or a felony conviction), but still requires a legal foundation (statute) to support the restriction.

The MOA may prefer that no one possess a firearm at a rally, but they simply cannot sidestep the Constituion to accomplish that goal. If Johnson City (TN) legally prohibits firearms on the fairgrounds, the MOA is welcome to 'ride their coat tails' and post such a restriction as a rally addendum.

Personally, I don't relish the guy in the tent three bikes down from me stumbling back from the Beer Tent, only to be cuddling up with his .357 magnum under a pillow.

But it's like the Stop Signs posted all over the Wal-Mart parking lot. You can 'blow right thru them' without any fear of being cited, since they have no statutory authority (at least not in WI) - they exist only as a courtesy for pedestrian/customer traffic.

Without due process, you have no legal restriction.

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We are in agreement that is is a restricted right.

My understanding of the TN statute is that it applies to:

"Any private property where a notice is posted."

If correct, the effect is that any private property owner can put up a sign and your right to carry no longer applies on that property. I'm sure we have a ton of legal experts here who can cite the statue and set me straight if I'm incorrect.


I don't care what MOA does. I was asking if there was a policy. My feeling is that the Board will not make a policy and that is completely within their rights.

Asking some questions here sure seems to upset some folks.

SIBUD said:

We are in agreement that is is a restricted right.

My understanding of the TN statute is that it applies to:

"Any private property where a notice is posted."

If correct, the effect is that any private property owner can put up a sign and your right to carry no longer applies on that property. I'm sure we have a ton of legal experts here who can cite the statue and set me straight if I'm incorrect.


I don't care what MOA does. I was asking if there was a policy. My feeling is that the Board will not make a policy and that is completely within their rights.

Asking some questions here sure seems to upset some folks.

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Bud,
Asking questions is not a bad thing. People have the right to know irrespective of their reasons for knowing. This applies just as much to your question as any.

Having said that, the only place for this thread to go would be a discussion about guns generally, at which point it would be time IMHO to move this topic to The Tavern. As I believe we all know, such a discussion could go on forever without substantially changing anyone's position.

SIBUD said:

I asked an honest question with no agenda. Only asking for information.

To then equate sidearms with knives and straws spit wads seems to be a red herring.

Are you saying that we can no longer ask a question because of today's social and political climate? Or are you saying that because of today's social and political climate we should just expect people to be armed where ever we go?

I don't expect to have to protect myself from anyone traveling to or from a rally. Do you? I pretty much travel around the US with no fear of my life or safety. But there seem to be some that feel insecure where ever they go.

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Talk about a red herring! "Are you saying that we can no longer ask a question...". With your question, you go to farther extremes than my partially tongue in cheek comment did.

Of course you may ask whatever you wish! But you should reallize the almost certain answer to such a question before you ask it.

I'll admit that throwing in the spit wad comment was a bit of a stretch (and a little tongue in cheek), but not much. Out here in the proverbial land of fruits and flakes, if my kid was to shoot spit wads at other kids at lunch, he would undoubtedly get sent to detention, probably with the threat of suspension should such anti-social and dangerous behavior happen again (you could put an eye out with that!).

When I was a kid, it was standard equipment for boys to have a pocket knife starting somewhere around the 4th or 5th grade (and I don't remember a single knife fight). That will earn a kid an expulsion these days.

You can't even get nail clippers on an airplane anymore! I haven't tried to get a straw and spit wads on a plane, but I bet if you pack them together, the TSA agent will at least consider confiscating them. Sadly, that's probably more true than comedic.

I didn't mean to accuse you of having an agenda. I was just pointing out the reality of what you should expect as an answer to such a question.


BTW - I'm not upset about your question. Again, just pointing out what, IMO, should be obvious.

SIBUD said:

We are in agreement that is is a restricted right.

My understanding of the TN statute is that it applies to:

"Any private property where a notice is posted."

If correct, the effect is that any private property owner can put up a sign and your right to carry no longer applies on that property. I'm sure we have a ton of legal experts here who can cite the statue and set me straight if I'm incorrect.


I don't care what MOA does. I was asking if there was a policy. My feeling is that the Board will not make a policy and that is completely within their rights.

Asking some questions here sure seems to upset some folks.

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You just go right on asking questions, SIBUD. They are thought-provoking, and crafted in a mature manner.

Just because we may disagree on interpretation, the questions should still be asked.

SIBUD said:

I asked an honest question with no agenda. Only asking for information.

To then equate sidearms with knives and straws spit wads seems to be a red herring.

Are you saying that we can no longer ask a question because of today's social and political climate? Or are you saying that because of today's social and political climate we should just expect people to be armed where ever we go?

I don't expect to have to protect myself from anyone traveling to or from a rally. Do you? I pretty much travel around the US with no fear of my life or safety. But there seem to be some that feel insecure where ever they go.

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Of course you had an agenda . . . your last sentence shows your contempt for those that choose to legally carry.

Look, I can appreciate that you scared the crap out of yourself playing with a friend's shotgun while he wasn't there to supervise. I'm sorry for your trauma.

There is a 100% chance that you will be near someone either on the rally site or off site that will be carrying (not that this is any different than any other rally site).

I read that you do not ride with those that carry nor want to be in an area where others may be carrying. You should probably decide to stay away to minimize your risk.

crazydrummerdude said:

Why does it matter so much?

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really.

god, this so retarded.

Thread closed by request of OP.